Top 10 Australian Golfers of All-Time Top 10 Australian Golfers of All-Time By Brent Kelley Updated March 27, 2016. Who are the best golfers to come from Down Under? Australia is a relatively small (in terms of population) country that has produced many good and great professional golfers. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Aussie golfers ever. Peter Thomson (left) receives the Claret Jug in 1965 after his fifth British Open victory. Hulton Archive/Getty Images 1. Peter Thomson In the eight years from 1951-58, Thomson won the British Open four times, was second twice and finished sixth the other time. For good measure, he added a fifth Open title in 1965, plus nine other Top 10 finishes in the tournament. Thomson rarely played in the United States (not unusual for international players of his era), including the majors, but did have a fourth-place at the Masters and a fifth at the U.S. Open . He also won once on the PGA Tour in 1956.

As a senior golfer, he had one dominating Champions Tour year with nine victories in 1985 - one of the best seasons in that tour's history. Thomson won 26 times on the European circuit that preceded formation of the European Tour, and 34 times in Australia and New Zealand. More » continue reading below our video Profile of Jack Nicklaus 2. Greg Norman Norman is probably so well-known for his losses - a combination of some chokes (such as the 1996 Masters ) and some rotten luck (such as the 1987 Masters ) - that his successes are often overlooked. But as Tom Watson once said, "A lot of guys who have never choked have never been in the position to do so." Norman put himself in position a lot, and sometimes he failed to get the job done. But 20 times, he won on the PGA Tour, and twice he won the British Open . He was the PGA Tour's leading money winner three times, its scoring leader three times, and its Player of the Year in 1995. He was considered the best golfer in the world for long stretches during his career.

He had 30 Top 10 finishes in majors. Should he have won more? Yes. But he won a lot as it was, nearly 90 times around the world. More » In 2006, Adam Scott won the PGA Tour's Tour Championship. Hunter Martin / Getty Images 3. Adam Scott Scott had a pretty good career going - eight PGA Tour wins, including the 2004 Players Championship and a WGC win - but was stuck on those "best golfers without a major" lists. Then he won the 2013 Masters . Scott has eight other wins on the European Tour (outside of the Masters and now two WGC victories). And after he won in back-to-back weeks in 2016 at the Honda Classic and WGC Cadillac Championship, was up to 13 total wins on the USPGA Tour. Scott has also won in Asia, South Africa and Australia. His wins on the PGA Tour of Australasia include the 2009 Australian Open and the 2012 and 2013 Australian Masters.

He's been a regular at the Presidents Cup throughout his career, been as high as second in the world rankings, and finished as high as third on the USPGA money list. David Graham at the Suntory World match Play Championships in 1979. Steve Powell / Getty Images 4. David Graham Graham had a reputation as a tough, big-tournament player. He finished in the Top 10 in majors 16 times, and that included two wins: the 1979 PGA Championship and the 1981 U.S. Open . At the PGA, Graham shot 65 in the final round to force a playoff, then beat Ben Crenshaw with a series of big putts. Graham won eight times on the USPGA, plus five times on the Champions Tour, and also had wins in Europe, Australia, South America, South Africa and Japan. 5. Steve Elkington Elkington probably didn't achieve as much as he should have on the PGA Tour, his career hampered several times by battles with injuries and illness. But he did win 10 times, including the 1991 Players Championship.

And the big one: the 1995 PGA Championship , where Elkington beat Colin Montgomerie in a playoff. Elkington was in another playoff at a major, but lost the 2002 British Open to Ernie Els (Stuart Appleby and Thomas Levet were also in the playoff). He had six other Top 5 finishes in majors. Bruce Crampton plays during the 1993 PGA Seniors Championship. Gary Newkirk / Getty Images 6. Bruce Crampton Bruce Crampton was one of the best golfers in the world in the first half of the 1970s. He won four times on the PGA Tour in 1973, and earned the PGA Tour's Vardon Trophy for low scoring average in 1973 and 1975. But he probably has nightmares about Jack Nicklaus . Crampton finished second in four majors during that period - the 1972 Masters and U.S. Open, the 1973 PGA Championship and 1975 PGA. Who beat him? All four times, he was runner-up to Nicklaus.

So Crampton never won a major, but he did win 14 PGA Tour titles, plus another 20 on the Champions Tour. Golfer Kel Nagle with the Claret Jug (and his wife) in 1960. Keystone / Hulton Archive / Getty Images 7. Kel Nagle Arnold Palmer famously helped revitalize the British Open by crossing the pond to play the 1960 Open , at a time when most American stars rarely if ever played it. But Palmer finished second that year to Kel Nagle. Nagle was 39 years old but playing in a major for only the fourth time - he had played mostly on the Australasian Tour to that point (a tour on which he eventually won 61 times). So Nagle's best years were arguably already behind him. Yet he was competitive throughout his 40s. He was runner-up to Palmer at the 1961 Open, and lost a playoff to Gary Player at the 1965 U.S. Open .

But he also won during the 1960s at the French Open and Canadian Open, among other titles, and from 1960-66 finished in the Top 5 at the British Open all but one year. More » 8. Jason Day When Jason Day won the 2016 WGC Dell Match Play Championship, it was his second consecutive win on the PGA Tour. A week earlier, Day won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Those two victories in the early part of 2016 put Day at nine career PGA Tour victories. And one of those was the 2015 PGA Championship , which Day won with a final score of 20-under. He thus became the first golfer to finish a major at 20-under or better. Day could go higher than this, but since he's still early in his career we'll err on the side of caution and put him at No. 8 for now. 9. Jim Ferrier By the time Ferrier won the 1947 PGA Championship , he had taken up United States citizenship.

But he was born in Manly, New South Wales, and won 10 times on the Australasian Tour in the 1930s. He moved to America to try the USPGA Tour in the 1940s, and he was winning tournaments there from 1944 through 1961 - 18 wins in all, including his one major. Ferrier was runner-up in three other majors. Geoff Ogilvy plays during the 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational. Sam Greenwood / Getty Images 10. Geoff Ogilvy Ogilvy hasn't won a lot on the PGA Tour, and hasn't been all that consistent. But the tournaments he has won have mostly been marquee events. Of his eight wins through the 2015 season, three were WGC tournaments, twice he won the winners-only PGA Tour season-opener, and then there's that 2006 U.S. Open title. He finished inside the Top 10 on the money list twice. ... and honorable mentions go to Stuart Appleby, Graham Marsh, Bruce Devlin and Joe Kirkwood Sr.

Golfer Jason Day claims Australian sport's The Don award | Sport | The Guardian Golfer Jason Day claims Australian sport's The Don award Award comes two months after Day’s maiden major Day pips Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson, Anna Meares and Jarryd Hayne Jason Day becomes the second golfer to win the award, after Adam Scott in 2013. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images Australian Associated Press Close This article is 1 year old Golf star Jason Day has won Australian sport’s The Don award, two months after claiming his first major title. Day was honoured at the annual Sport Australia Hall Of Fame awards and induction dinner on Wednesday night in Melbourne. The night also featured eight inductions into the hall of fame. Day is the second golfer in three years to win The Don award, which honours the Australian sportsperson who most inspired the nation in the past 12 months. Adam Scott was the first golfer to win The Don in 2013. Mick Fanning and Jarryd Hayne among those nominated for sports award Read more Day won the US PGA title with a record score of 20-under-par.

Two months earlier, the 27-year-old collapsed with an attack of vertigo during the US Open, but recovered to share the lead after the third round and finish fourth. Day could not attend as he is in the United States for the birth of his second child. His mother Dening accepted the award on Day’s behalf. “Such a great year as this, to be able to cap it off with The Don Award, it goes down in my memory as one of the best years that I’ve ever had,” Day said in a video message. “I’m looking forward to hopefully replicating or improving on years like this and really trying to represent not only myself but represent golf, and golf in Australia and also the Australian nation around the world, the best I possibly can. “I’d like to congratulate the other 11 nominees – what a fantastic year they’ve had. All the way from the Socceroos to Mick Fanning punching a bloody shark in the face, it’s been an amazing year for all the 11 other nominees.” The original 12 nominations were narrowed to Day, surfers Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson, track cycling legend Anna Meares and NFL convert Jarryd Hayne.

Fanning and Wilson won the spirit of sport award after the dramatic shark attack during their final in South Africa. Fanning punched the shark as it knocked him off his board and Wilson paddled over to see if he could help. Has Jason Day produced the greatest year by an Australian golfer ever? Has Jason Day produced the greatest year by an Australian golfer ever? Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Play Video Jason Day wins The Barclays Jason Day wins The Barclays Australian golfer Jason Day claims his third victory from his past four starts, winning the first FedExCup playoff event. Up Next Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Play Video Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Alex De Minaur started well but couldn't defeat Sa, Querrey in the second round of the Australian Open. Roger Federer and Angelique Kerber both winning their matches to progress to Round 3. Up Next Dancing up a storm at Davis Cup initiation Play Video Dancing up a storm at Davis Cup initiation Alex De Minaur's initiation dance leaves Davis Cup team mates in raptures.

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Of all the questions during Jason Day's commanding six-shot win at The Barclays, that is the one that occupies the Australian's mind more than any other, for we know how badly he wants it. He could yet do so by the end of this year, but according to the legendary Nick Faldo, the world No.3 has unofficially gone past the game's marquee man, Jordan Spieth, who this week lost his No.1 mantle back to Rory McIlroy as the game's "Big Three" continue their takeover. SHARE Fist pump: Jason Day celebrates on the 18th green Photo: AP "This guy is the best player in the world right now," the six-time Major Champion said about Day during commentary of The Barclays, having posed the above question early in the round. "Jordan was before, but right now and over the last month, this is the guy they've got to beat." Advertisement And there are a couple of other questions worth asking right now, too. For instance, has any Australian golfer had a better year than Jason Day's in 2015?

SHARE Pin to Pinterest PIN Link Sealed with a kiss: Greg Norman and his then wife, Laura, celebrate his British Open win in 1986 Photo: AP The 27-year-old is on the verge of climbing a mountain no other golfer from this country has been able to. That is, winning the PGA Tour's coveted US$10 million FedExCup - which is basically the end-of-season "premiership" for golfer's on the world's top circuit introduced in 2007. In AFL terms, Day's win at the Barclays on Monday morning, AEST, was kind of like winning a qualifying final in the first week of September. SHARE Family matters: Jason Day's son, Dash, congratulates his dad after his dominant display Photo: AP He will now head into the remaining two events of the Tour Playoffs - the Deutsche Bank and BMW Championships - ranked No.1 in the standings and in the box seat to stay there for the grand final the following week, which is the Coca-Cola Tour Championship. If he were to win one, two or all three of those tournaments and lift the FedExCup, Day would set a new standard of excellence for Australian golf.

Our best of the modern era, Greg Norman, had a flagship year in 1986 when he won two PGA Tour events, one on the European Tour and of course his first major - the 1986 Open Championship - to go with second-place finishes at the Masters and PGA Championship that year. He also won a bunch of minor events in Australia that don't really come into the equation, because the Australian summer is much different now and Day has elected not to play our domestic events this year due to the birth of his second child. This was the year of the "Norman Slam", as he became the first player to hold the 54-hole lead in all four Major events, thus playing in the final group and having the greatest chance ever of achieving the Grand Slam that Spieth flirted with this year. Day, in comparison, has now won four times this year - starting with his win at the Farmers Insurance Open in February - and three times in his past four starts - the Canadian Open, his breakthrough major title at the PGA Championship and now the Barclays. It is the first time since Bruce Crampton in 1973 that an Australian has won four events on the US PGA Tour in one season.

So good has Day been that his play has forced the game's leading judges to ponder another question they never thought they would bother asking: Has anyone had a better year than Jordan Spieth? It seems implausible that a man who won both the Masters and the US Open could not win the PGA Tour's Player of the Year award. However there is a real danger that Day could yet steal the award, becoming the first Australian to do so since Norman turned that trick in 1995 - in a magnificent year in which "The Shark" never won a major but became No.1 in the world. Day is in a zone right now, one that Norman once had access to back in his heyday, if not similar to that which Tiger Woods use to frequent more than any other of recent times. The Queenslander's win at The Barclays was an encore to his history-making score-to-par in a major at the PGA Championship. He went 63 and 62 over the weekend to blitz the field - making only one bogey along the way. He is starting to create superstar moments, too, much like Spieth has done all year.

"Oh my goodness, this guy is sensational": that was the call on commentary when Day rolled in a long, winding putt on the 15th hole that was so tough that the TV broadcaster's predictor gave him just a six-percent chance of making it. He pumped his fist and let out a big roar to match that of the crowd's. Since the US Open in late June, he has produced 20 straight rounds under par. The toughness factor has played big for Day. Not only did he guts it out to finish tied 9th at the US Open, overcoming a bout of vertigo that caused him to collapse, he came through at The Barclays despite having to withdraw from the pro-am with a back complaint. Golf is such that one's consistency of contending is not recognised until you stop contending and start winning. That is true for Day, who has had five top 10s to add to his four wins this year - including a tied fourth at the Open Championship and the US Open finish. Spieth, though, has been on another level in terms of consistency - completing 10 top 10 finishes to go with two other wins on the PGA Tour in 2015.

He also finished second (PGA Championship) and tied fourth (Open Championship) in the other two majors he didn't win, all of which means Day needs to keep winning over the next three weeks to make those judging the Player of the Year award forget about the incredible body of work Spieth has put together. Then, again, you wouldn't put anything past Day right now. Jason Day wins US PGA Championship 2015 | Australian golfer victorious Email a friend AFTER so many close finishes in majors, Australian golfer Jason Day cruised to victory at the US PGA in record-setting style on Monday morning. The 27-year-old from Queensland entered the final round with a two-shot lead over Jordan Spieth, the star American who has already claimed two majors this year. But there were no signs of the slip-ups which have seen Day miss out on major glory in previous years as he finished 20-under — three strokes ahead of Spieth . Day wiped away tears before tapping in on the 18th green. “It’s been a long journey. I didn’t expect to ever grow up and be on the PGA tour. I don’t want to be all emotional here, but it’s an amazing feeling,” Day said.

“All the work I’ve put into my game since I was a 12 year-old kid and to now stand up in front of a crowd like this and win the PGA Championship ... “I didn’t expect I was going to cry. A lot of emotion has come out because I’ve been so close so many times in major championships and fallen short ... To be able to play the way I did and finish the way I did was amazing.” Day is the fifth Australian to win the US PGA Championship, joining Jim Ferrier, David Graham, Wayne Grady and Steve Elkington, who last won it in 1995. Day wipes away tears on the 18th green.Source:AFP THE HISTORY IF 20-under par sounds like an impressive score, it’s because it is. In fact, it’s the lowest score under par in major history, edging Tiger Woods’ score of 19-under at the 2000 British Open.

20-under — Jason Day, US PGA (2015) 19-under — Tiger Woods, British Open (2000) 18-under — Nick Faldo, British Open (1990), Tiger Woods, The Masters (1997), US PGA (2000, 2006), British Open (2006), Bob May, US PGA (2000), Jordan Spieth, The Masters (2015) Day became the 11th Australian man to win a major and fifth to win the US PGA.

5 — Peter Thomson, British Open (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965) 2 — Greg Norman, British Open (1986, 1993) 2 — David Graham, US PGA (1979), US Open (1981) 1 — Adam Scott, The Masters (2013), Geoff Ogilvy, US Open (2006), Steve Elkington, US PGA (1995), Ian Baker-Finch, British Open (1991), Wayne Grady, US PGA (1990), Kel Nagle, British Open (1960), Jim Ferrier, US PGA (1947) THE NEAR MISSES — Jason Day (@JDayGolf) August 17, 2015 DAY, ranked No. 5 in the world, has been one of the most consistently excellent performers at golf’s four majors in the past five years, achieving six top five finishes.

2011 — In his first crack at The Masters, Day finished tied for second with Adam Scott at 12-under, two strokes behind winner Charl Schwartzel. He backed that up with a second placed finish at the US Open, which was won by runaway leader Rory McIlroy. 2013 — Led the US Masters by one shot with three holes to play, but finished bogey, bogey, par to finish two shots behind Scott in third. Tied for second again at the US Open behind Justin Rose. 2015 — Was tied for the lead entering the final round of the British Open at St Andrews but finished one shot outside a three-player playoff in a tie for fourth. HIS CHILDHOOD DAY’s father, Alvin, enrolled him as a junior member of the Beaudesert Golf Club in Queensland when he was six years old. But his childhood was marked by tragedy when his father died of stomach cancer when he was 12. Day dedicated himself to golf, famously rising early in the morning every day to practise and benchmarking his scores against those of Tiger Woods at the same age.

HIS NUMBER ONE FAN Ellie and Jason Day.Source:AFP DESPITE the lead Day held for the final round, it was still tense viewing. His wife, Ellie, was hilariously live-tweeting the action and was barely able to contain her excitement. Day married Ellie, an American, in 2009. They have a three-year-old son named Dash and are expecting their second child in October this year. Yes! Looking good out there. @JDayGolf 🙌 — Ellie Day (@ellielaneday) August 16, 2015 Oh my word @JDayGolf — Ellie Day (@ellielaneday) August 16, 2015 I know it's your job, announcers, but you stress me out. — Ellie Day (@ellielaneday) August 16, 2015 Yes yes yes — Ellie Day (@ellielaneday) August 16, 2015 ATHLETES REACT SPORTSMEN from all over the world saluted Day on Twitter.

Congratulations to Jason Day and his family on a great win.👏👏 pic.twitter.com/VPVce0aRiH — Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) August 16, 2015 First of many for @JDayGolf after this breakthrough!! Well played. #PGAChampionship — steve johnson (@Steviejohnson20) August 16, 2015 so fun watching two class acts down the stretch. congrats to Jason day for his first major and to @JordanSpieth for claiming world number 1 — Jack Sock (@JackSock) August 16, 2015 Cracking win @JDayGolf Grafter and humble. Congratulations. #classact — Mark Webber (@AussieGrit) August 16, 2015 Great result on a great weekend. I am rapt for Jason Day. — Liz Ellis (@LizzyLegsEllis) August 16, 2015 Game over, very happy for Jason. Great dude and well deserved. Hats off to Jordan, incredible season. Calling it early.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) August 16, 2015 HOW HE WON THESE were the moments that mattered in the final round. Hole 2, 593 yard, par 5 — Day makes birdie after putting his second in the greenside trap. Hole 5, 603 yard, par 5 — Day again birdies a par five, making birdie from eight feet. Hole 6, 355 yard, par 4 — Playing the easiest hole on the course Day hits a wedge to five feet and makes the birdie. Hole 7, 214 yard, par 3 — The birdie blitz continues as Day does his best impersonation of playing partner Jordan Spieth, draining a monster 50-footer for his birdie. Hole 11, 563 yard, par 5 — Day bombs the longest drive of the final round on the hole down the fairway, hitting it 382 yards, leaving him a wedge into the par five. Spieth finds trouble and makes par as Day makes birdie.

Hole 12, 143 yard, par 3 — Day puts his tee shot in the greenside trap, but plays a remarkable bunker shot from a difficult lie to get up and down for par. Hole 13, 404 yard, par 4 — Day makes a regulation par, but Spieth, who has been striking his irons well knocks it close and makes birdie to cut Day’s lead to three shots. Jason Day sinks monster birdie on the 7th hole1:00 US PGA: Jason Day has sunk a monster birdie on the seventh at Whistling Straits to become the third man ever to reach 19 under in a Major. August 17th 2015 a year ago /video/video.news.com.au/Sport/Golf/US PGA Championship/ Hole 14, 397 yard, par 4 — Day puts his tee shot in the fairway bunker but plays a remarkable approach to 10 feet and drains the birdie putt, while Spieth tugs his approach from the fairway left and makes a brilliant up and down for his par. Day leads by four shots at 20-under.

Hole 15, 518 yard, par 4 — Day finds trouble off the tee in the rough. He gets a flyer which then buries itself in the greenside rough, he can’t get up and down and makes bogey — Spieth pars, Day’s lead is again three strokes. Hole 16, 569 yard, par 5 — Day hits the green in two shots and just misses his eagle putt. He taps in for birdie, Spieth also makes a two-putt birdie. Hole 17, 223 yard, par 3 — The hardest hole on the course, both Day and Spieth hit their tee shots to the centre of the green. Day hits a great lag from 60-feet and taps in for par. Day leads by three with one to play. Hole 18, 520 yard, par 4 — Day hits his drive into the fairway and makes the green with his approach. His birdie putt comes up just short, leaving Day, already crying tears of joy a tap-in for his par and first major title.

— with AAP PGA Championship 2015: Final Leaderboard Scores, Prize-Money Payouts and More | Bleacher Report PGA Championship 2015: Final Leaderboard Scores, Prize-Money Payouts and More By Scott Polacek , Featured Columnist Aug 16, 2015 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Michael Madrid/USA Today Comments Welcome to the top of the Sunday night leaderboard at a major, Jason Day . The Australian superstar steered clear of the rest of the field at the 2015 PGA Championship and won his first career major title, with an astounding five-under 67, to bring his tournament total to 20 under par. Day didn't only win the title, but he also stared down every move from his playing partner, Jordan Spieth, in the process and never blinked. He made history as well, per CBS Sports: Jason Day didn't just win the @PGAChampionship . He made history.

pic.twitter.com/IFM3MRSVpd — CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 16, 2015 With so many notable young golfers, such as Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler, competing for championships on a weekly basis, it is easy to overlook the talented and consistent 27-year-old Day. He reminded everyone just how dangerous he is Sunday at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on his way to the Wanamaker Trophy. It was his third victory and eighth top-10 finish of the year, per PGATour.com , but undoubtedly it's his most memorable performance. Below is a look at the top of the leaderboard and each golfer's corresponding prize payouts. The full leaderboard can be found at PGA.com . 2015 Players Championship Final Leaderboard Place $243,000 ESPN.com Day was in control for the entire round, but it became perfectly clear who would win when he drilled his birdie putt on No. 14 to get to 20 under par. The PGA Tour shared a highlight of the moment: Jason Day. 20 under.

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 16, 2015 The lasting images typically come on the back nine, but the Australian did plenty of his work on the early holes. He birdied Nos. 2, 5, 6 and 7 and created critical separation as Spieth shot a one-under 35 on the front nine. Day's putt on No. 7 was particularly impressive, per the PGA Tour: Jason Day is on a mission. — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 16, 2015 It was a fitting final major for Day in a season that was otherwise defined by near-misses and questions of what could have been. He finished a single shot out of the British Open playoff and collapsed in the second round of the U.S. Open with a case of vertigo. Day still managed to work through it and achieve a top-10 finish, but he now has a defining victory over Spieth and the rest of the field. Day carried a two-shot lead over Spieth entering the final round and certainly knew this year's Masters and U.S.

Open winner was hot on his trail, per Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post: There are guys that are great players behind me — especially Jordan Spieth — trying to catch me. I think the hardest thing for a player is when they’re trying to close, they kind of get if in their own way, start thinking to themselves if they can do it, if they can’t do it, is the shot too hard, is the shot too easy. A number of things can happen, especially on a final round of a major championship. I’ve done all the hard work right now to get into contention, to have this lead. So [Sunday] I just need to be patient with myself. I’ve got to stay out of my own way and just let things happen. Day ultimately won, but Spieth was also brilliant in the closing stretch. He tallied three birdies on the back nine on his way to a four-under 68. Anthony Rothman of 97.1 The Fan in Columbus praised Day's ability to overcome any potential push from the former Texas Longhorn: Spieth is gonna make Day feel every ounce of this first Major feeling. Jason has had every answer so far.

#Greatstuff — Anthony Rothman (@AnthonyRothman) August 16, 2015 It is a testament to Spieth's overwhelming ability that even a 68 on the final day of a major didn't appear to be his best golf. Bill Simmons of HBO suggested as much: Also Spieth's ability to hang around when he's not playing that well is such a special trait. 1st golfer I've really rooted for since Tiger. — Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) August 16, 2015 We may not have seen Spieth's absolute best throughout the entire round Sunday, but we did see his best all season. He broke one of Tiger Woods ' records with his performance at the PGA Championship, as SportsCenter noted: An incredible season for Jordan Spieth. His -54 combined score in majors beats Tiger Woods in 2000 for lowest ever. pic.twitter.com/Kfw8xYcDqM — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 16, 2015 Spieth also passed McIlroy as the No.

1 golfer in the world with his second-place finish and became the first to finish in the top four of every major in a year since Woods did so in 2005. McIlroy congratulated his fellow golfer in the aftermath: 2 inevitable things happened today, @JDayGolf winning a major and @JordanSpieth getting to 1 in the world! Congrats guys!! Inspiring stuff! — Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) August 16, 2015 While the final round was primarily a showdown between Day and Spieth, Dustin Johnson deserves plenty of credit for his overall resiliency. He turned in a nightmare score of eight on the par-four first hole and also finished with a bogey on Nos. 3 and 4. It looked like Johnson was in for another final-round disaster at a major, as Will Brinson of CBS Sports and Justin Ray of Golf Channel pointed out: Dustin Johnson and Sundays are like oil and water. — Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) August 16, 2015 Dustin Johnson opens his final round with a quadruple-bogey 8.

DJ by round, last 6 majors 1st -22 2nd -14 3rd -1 Final +7 #PGAChamp — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) August 16, 2015 However, Johnson bounced back with three straight birdies on 5, 6 and 7, two eagles on the back nine and a fourth-round score of three-under 69. He didn't win at 12 under for the tournament, but in a season filled with heartbreak (such as his three-putt to miss the U.S. Open playoff and the loss of his early British Open lead), he likely took solace in his late charge. Perhaps we will see more consistency from Johnson in the closing stretches of next year's majors. Florida Gators golf coach JC Deacon seemed to believe that: Dustin Johnson 5 over through 4 and shows incredible resilience to get back to -4 on the day. His major is coming soon.. — JC Deacon (@realjcdeacon) August 16, 2015 Elsewhere, Justin Rose pulled to within two strokes of Day on the back nine, but his double bogey on No.

13 ended any realistic chance of victory. Rose ended up six strokes off the lead in fourth place, but the double bogey was simply poor timing and a major swing, as Sky Sports Golf noted: Jason Day with a brilliant recovery from the bunker for par, while Justin Rose records a double bogey at 13 #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/RPiLwXbVGq — Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) August 16, 2015 Rose, Spieth and a number of other contenders were all well within striking distance at different points Sunday, but the final round belonged to Day. He never faltered despite potentially overwhelming pressure, and he earned his first career major trophy as a result. In addition to the incredible performance and the satisfaction that comes with a PGA Championship, the final round should provide a confidence boost moving forward into next season's major tournaments. He outlasted arguably the best young golfer on the planet in Spieth and eliminated that major hole in his resume.

Day is only 27 years old, and fellow Australian golfer Matt Jones thinks this is the first of many triumphs, per Cannizzaro: "It will happen when it happens, and when it does, there will probably be a lot of them come. I see top-10s in every major [for Day]. Once he gets his first one, just like Phil [Mickelson]. Phil went on a run [and won five]. I can see that happening with Jason. He’ll win five or six pretty quick." Even if that incredible run does happen, Day will never forget when it started at Whistling Straits.

Question: Which Australian golfer had his first major success when he won the US PGA title in 2015?
Answer: Jason Day